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Shoptalk Announces Initial Speaker Line-Up for Spring Conference
February 4,
2026 by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry 
Shoptalk, the leading global event for retail innovation, today announced the initial speaker lineup for its 2026 spring conference taking place March 24–26 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Featuring more than 50 sessions, the conference will bring together more than 10,000 attendees, with one in three holding a C-suite role at a retailer, consumer brand or tech company.
Themed "Retail in the Age of AI," Shoptalk Spring 2026 will feature more than 180 speakers, including senior executives from Victoria’s Secret, OpenAI, Wayfair, Reddit, New Balance, Dutch Bros, Meta, Simon Property Group, e.l.f. Beauty, Gap Inc. and Walmart. These senior leaders will share their insights and expertise on building emotional connections with shoppers, cultivating community, fostering loyalty, the evolution of retail media, and how companies are planning and managing their businesses in an AI-first world.
"Retail leaders are looking for actionable insights and meaningful partnerships that will help them navigate new opportunities. With AI as the backdrop for everything happening in retail, we’ll look at AI-driven developments as well as the opportunities for more human-centered experiences," said Zia Daniell Wigder, Global President, Shoptalk. "Those interested in the AI revolution can take advantage of a fresh new comprehensive program designed to help guide retail decision-makers by providing discussions, case studies and best practices in implementing AI initiatives."
Highly anticipated mainstage speakers include:
Hillary Super, CEO, Victoria’s Secret
Bret Taylor, Chairman of the Board, OpenAI, and Co-Founder & CEO, Sierra
Niraj Shah, CEO & Co-Chair, Wayfair
Steve Huffman, Co-Founder & CEO, Reddit
Joe Preston, President & CEO, New Balance
Christine Barone, CEO, Dutch Bros
Nicola Mendelsohn, Head of Global Business Group, Meta
Lee Sterling, Chief Marketing Officer, Simon Property Group
Ekta Chopra, Chief Digital Officer, e.l.f. Beauty
Sven Gerjets, EVP & Chief Technology Officer, Gap Inc.
Creighton Kiper, SVP Home, Walmart
Other Shoptalk Spring 2026 speakers include:
Chris Carl, US Head of Marketing, AliExpress
Anu Narayanan, President, Women’s & Home, Anthropologie
Billy May, CEO, Brooklinen
Christie Sclater, SVP Global Marketing, Clinique
Jennifer Yue, SVP, Tapestry & Coach Strategy & Consumer Insights, Coach Collaborations and Coachtopia, Coach
Anne Mehlman, EVP & Brand President, Crocs
Ryan Den Rooijen, Managing Director, AI & Monetization, Currys
Elina Vilk, President & Chief Business Officer, David’s Bridal
Christian Fortucci, Chief Technology Officer, David Yurman
Rafe Colburn, Chief Product & Technology Officer, Etsy
Alex Richardson, Chief Technology Officer, Khaite
Joe Cano, SVP, Digital Commerce, Lowe’s
Max Magni, EVP, Chief Customer & Digital Officer, Macy’s Inc.
Karin Tracy, Group Lead, Retail & eCommerce, Meta
Heather Bennett, President, Michaels Stores
Jenna Bromberg, Chief Marketing Officer, Papa Johns
Dmitry Shevelenko, Chief Business Officer, Perplexity
Meredith Glansberg, CEO, Quip
Jessica Ozella, Chief Digital Officer, Reformation
Velia Carboni, Chief Information Officer, SharkNinja
Jennifer Brown, Head of U.S. Influencer Marketing & Talent Partnerships, Shein
Matt Baer, CEO, Stitch Fix
Dan DeMeyere, Chief Product & Technology Officer, ThredUp
Carina Ertl, Chief Marketing Officer, Tourneau | Bucherer
To learn more and register for Shoptalk, visit Shoptalk.com.